Greece completes Idomeni camp evacuation, railway line reopens after 70 days

The evacuation of the informal refugee camp of Idomeni at the northern Greek border with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia(FYROM) was completed on Thursday, and the railway line connecting Greece to central Europe reopened after 70 days.

The last of the 8,500 refugees who had camped next to the border crossing since mid-February were peacefully taken by coaches to organized shelters across northern Greece.

Greek Public Order Minister Nikos Toskas visited the camp on Thursday and expressed the government's satisfaction over the successful end of the police operation with no incidents.

"The operation ended as planned -- with respect to the people who fled wars to save their lives seeking a better future in Europe," he commented, as bulldozers knocked down empty tents.

At its peak, Idomeni housed up to 13,000 people in tragic conditions, without adequate food and medical care. Gradually, as the border crossing remained sealed for weeks and months more and more people were leaving Idomeni for organized reception centers.

About 3,000 refugees and migrants got on the buses on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the police operation, according to the government estimates, while another 4,000 left the camp by foot moving to nearby makeshift camps.

Two dozen coaches transferred the last 1,500 people out of the muddy fields on Thursday, as workers were inspecting the railway tracks where refugees were holding sit-in protests over the past three months requesting the reopening of the borders so that they can continue their journey to central Europe.

By Thursday evening, the first train in 70 days returned on the tracks, traveled to FYROM and returned to the railway station, Greek railways TRAINOSE announced. Enditem